Moon Elf
The Quanar, or Moon Elves, are the most venerable and civilized people within the Dar-al-Shams, and the inheritors of one of the most ancient cultural traditions in the world. When the Shamsar still lived in caverns, the Quanar were building palaces unrivaled in their splendor. When the Shamsar had no written language, the Quanar had enough writing to fill a thousand-thousand libraries. When the Shamsar could not even rule themselves, the Quanar were the masters of the known world. The inventors of bureaucracy, the postal system, denominated coinage, polo, sharbat, subterranean irrigation, astrology, rice pilaf, and all Wizardry (to only scratch the surface of Quanar achievement), their intellectual inheritance is unrivaled. And though they are no longer the rulers of a vast empire, they have made themselves essential to the life and character of the Dar-al-Shams.
All this changed with the coming of Kurush the Great, the inventor of Wizardry, and the first Quanar Shah. Teaching his newfound system of magic to his companions and followers, Kurush formed a coalition of all the peoples oppressed by the Genie-Kings and, at the Battle of Opis, shattered their power forever. Then, finding himself the master of the known world, Kurush reorganized the coalition into the first true Empire, the First Quanar Shahdom. However, unlike the Genie-Kings, who ruled over their conquests with force and violence, Kurush in his wisdom sought to create a state in which all would have a say and all would prosper. Recognizing the royal claims of his subject allies, he allowed them to continue to rule in their traditional fashion within their own territories. Kurush himself took the title Shahanshah, the King of Kings, thus declaring his supreme sovereignty without diminishing the royal authority of his vassals. Under the First Shahdom, the known world saw a time of unprecedented flourishing. The light and benevolent hand of the Shahanshahs allowed local rulers to solve local problems using local methods, while the Shahdom creating the infrastructure to allow trade and communication across previously inconcievable distances. A common set of weights and measures, a unified trade policy, and a uniform and denominated coinage led to a profusion of goods from throughout the empire, and for the first time from distant lands such as Nejd and the Dragon Lands. The construction and maintenance of a vast road network, a state-run postal system, and a large and professional standing army facilitated travel and communication while also allowing the Shahanshah to respond quickly and effectively to millitary threats from outside the Shahdom. This unprecedented period of peace, stability, and integration also led to a cultural golden age. Quanar art, literature, music, architecture, and poetry (particularly the poetry) became the envy of the world, and remain deeply influential down to the present. Many of the great monuments built by the first Shahdom still stand, particularly their grand urban plazas and rock-cut tombs. The gigantic reliefs they carved into cliff faces still delight travellers along the roads of the plateau to this day. The Quanar are, in general, tall and relatively slender. They are fair skinned and tend to have blonde or brown hair. They are the original inventors of Arcane Magic (though the Nedjar later developed it independently) and magic was a cornerstone of the old Quanar Shahdom. As such, Quanar Wizards are perhaps the greatest in the world, and all Quanar know at least a little spellcraft. Their prowess in the sciences and humanities are legendary, and the Quanar have produced many famous Bards and Clerics. They are also known for producing excellent Archers and Cavaliers, and many Quanar Paladins fill the ranks of the Brothers of the Moon, which has caused the order to be more influenced by Quanar culture than other institutions within the Dar al Shams.
Quanar Traits
Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Intelligence score increases by 1. Quanar Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the Longsword, Shortsword, Shortbow, and Longbow. Cantrip: You know one cantrip of your choice from the Wizard spell list. Intelligence is your Spellcasting Ability for it. Extra Language: You can speak Low Solar and Lunar. You may be able to read and write any of these languages, depending on your Background.History
The ancestors of the Quanar are belived to have arrived in the great plateau of Aran sometime in the second or third millenium Before Emergence, though this is only a best guess on the part of modern historians. At the time of the founding of the City of Ur and the very earliest written records known, the proto Quanar were well entrenched in the valleys of the plateau overlooking the great desert. However, like all other nations, the Quanar were no match for the magical power of the Genie-Kings, and suffered greatly as the tyrants of Lagash raided Aran for loot and captives.All this changed with the coming of Kurush the Great, the inventor of Wizardry, and the first Quanar Shah. Teaching his newfound system of magic to his companions and followers, Kurush formed a coalition of all the peoples oppressed by the Genie-Kings and, at the Battle of Opis, shattered their power forever. Then, finding himself the master of the known world, Kurush reorganized the coalition into the first true Empire, the First Quanar Shahdom. However, unlike the Genie-Kings, who ruled over their conquests with force and violence, Kurush in his wisdom sought to create a state in which all would have a say and all would prosper. Recognizing the royal claims of his subject allies, he allowed them to continue to rule in their traditional fashion within their own territories. Kurush himself took the title Shahanshah, the King of Kings, thus declaring his supreme sovereignty without diminishing the royal authority of his vassals. Under the First Shahdom, the known world saw a time of unprecedented flourishing. The light and benevolent hand of the Shahanshahs allowed local rulers to solve local problems using local methods, while the Shahdom creating the infrastructure to allow trade and communication across previously inconcievable distances. A common set of weights and measures, a unified trade policy, and a uniform and denominated coinage led to a profusion of goods from throughout the empire, and for the first time from distant lands such as Nejd and the Dragon Lands. The construction and maintenance of a vast road network, a state-run postal system, and a large and professional standing army facilitated travel and communication while also allowing the Shahanshah to respond quickly and effectively to millitary threats from outside the Shahdom. This unprecedented period of peace, stability, and integration also led to a cultural golden age. Quanar art, literature, music, architecture, and poetry (particularly the poetry) became the envy of the world, and remain deeply influential down to the present. Many of the great monuments built by the first Shahdom still stand, particularly their grand urban plazas and rock-cut tombs. The gigantic reliefs they carved into cliff faces still delight travellers along the roads of the plateau to this day. The Quanar are, in general, tall and relatively slender. They are fair skinned and tend to have blonde or brown hair. They are the original inventors of Arcane Magic (though the Nedjar later developed it independently) and magic was a cornerstone of the old Quanar Shahdom. As such, Quanar Wizards are perhaps the greatest in the world, and all Quanar know at least a little spellcraft. Their prowess in the sciences and humanities are legendary, and the Quanar have produced many famous Bards and Clerics. They are also known for producing excellent Archers and Cavaliers, and many Quanar Paladins fill the ranks of the Brothers of the Moon, which has caused the order to be more influenced by Quanar culture than other institutions within the Dar al Shams.
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